Topical pain relieving creams have been commercially available for some time. These topical creams are often used to treat sore muscles, pain associated with the joints of a body, arthritis and other similar conditions. Many of these topical creams are thick and have a heavy texture. Such creams typically take a considerable amount of rubbing and manipulating to work the cream into the skin to reach the desired area of treatment. Additionally, these creams often leave an oil residue on the surface of the skin leaving the skin feeling greasy, slippery, and wet until the material is either ultimately absorbed into the skin or is sufficiently rubbed off the surface of the skin. This oily residue remaining on the skin can provide an uncomfortable feeling for the person as well as get on clothing worn by the person. Depending upon the ingredients used in the cream, many topical pain relieving creams may have an unpleasant odor associated with typical ingredients such as menthol and capsaicin. These odors can irritate the eyes and/or mucous membranes.
Topical creams that are thick, heavy, leave behind an oily or greasy residue, and are irritating to the eyes and mucous membranes may be suitable for general use on extremities such at the legs and arms. However, there are certain times and conditions in which a topical pain relieving composition is desired to be applied in an area on or near the face. For example, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMD) causes a pain that is associated with acute or chronic inflammation of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which connects the mandible to the skull. To reduce the pain associated with TMJ pain, it is desirable to apply pain relieving material to this area around the temporomandibular joint which is in close proximity to the eyes and mucous membranes. Applying a topical creams to the facial area near the TMJ that can irritate the eyes and mucous membranes which can be very uncomfortable for the person. Further, because of the irritation to the eyes and mucous membranes, the person may elect not to apply the cream to the desired treatment area as often as necessary or may elect not apply the cream at all.
Further, pain relieving creams that are thick and have a heavy texture that are used on the facial area can block facial pores potentially leading to acne break outs or other facial skin conditions. Creams that leave behind a greasy or oily residue can also block facial pores leading to undesirable facial skin conditions. Moreover, and in particular with respect to people who wear facial make-up or cosmetics, the use of heavy, thick creams that leave behind a greasy or oily residue make it difficult to apply cosmetics to the facial areas treated by the cream.